Retainer shield for potato diggers



June 3, 1947. 1 sz ow cz 2,421,425

RETAINER SHIELD FOR POTATO DIGGERS Filed Jan. 11, 1946 9 null H munInventor Jose viz jeszl awzcz,

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Patented June 3, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RETAINER SHIELD FORPOTATO DIGGERS Joseph Leszkowicz, Brookhavcn, N. Y. Application January11, 1946, Serial No. 640,660

3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in retainer shields for potatodiggers, and the principal object of the invention is to provide adevice of the character herewithin described, which will substantiallyminimize the loss of potatoes as they are transferred from the diggingonto the picking machine of the harvester. This transferring processusually takes place between two sections of conveyor and it frequentlyoccurs that potatoes are thrown ofi to the ground owing to the velocityof the first conveyor, rather than being deposited thereby onto thesecond. My improvement hereinafter more particularly described isdesigned to eliminate this condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a retainer shield whichdoes not interfere with th operation of the harvesting machine,particularly when the latter is turning corners at the end of each row.

A further object of the invention is to provide a retainer shield whichis of a simple but sturdy construction and which can be readily appliedto both new and existing harvesting machines.

With the above and other important objects in view, and such otherobjects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, myinvention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction ofparts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a portion of the harvesting machinewith my invention illustrated in situ thereon.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the retainer shield.

Figure 4 is a typical cross-sectional elevation taken in the verticalplane of the shield shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an end view showing my stop bracket.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my invention comprises theretaining shield l assuming the form of an arcuate blade 2, the upperflat portion 3 of which extends to form an arm 4. An aperture 5 isprovided near the end of the latter, which accommodates a suitable bolt6 whereby the shield l is pivotally connected to the side member 1 ofthe potato digger 8, near the discharge end thereof.

When the shield is not being used it may be withdrawn out of the way asshown by the phantom lines 9 and allowed to rest against an offsetbracket Ill. The latter is secured to the side member 1 by means of twobolts H, one of which also serves to anchor a suitable tension 2 springl2. The remaining end of this spring is attached to the remote end ofthe shield l by means of a bolt l3 which passes through a suitableaperture l4 formed in the shield.

It will be noted that the mutual relationship of the pivot point 6 withrespect to the anchor points Hi and I3 is such that the tension or thespring l2 may be utilized to hold the retaining shield in either theoperating or in the withdrawn position.

Having thus detailed the construction of my invention, I shall nowdescribe its method of openation.

Potatoes dug up by the digger 8 are passed upwardly along a conveyor l5,whereupon my retainer shield I will tend to deflect the same onto theconveyor l6 of the picking machine I! and thus eliminate theinconvenience and loss caused when they are thrown over the side of themachine by the velocity of the conveyor [5.

It is found in practice that there is a tendency to throw potatoes overone side only, namely the left side, and for this reason 1'. illustratemy invention as installed on that side of the machine. However, a,similar improvement may, of course, be added to the opposite side if itis considered necessary.

When the harvester reaches the end of the row of potatoes, the shieldmay readily be withdrawn out of the way as already explained to theposition shown by phantom lines 9, whereupon the machine may freelynegotiate the turn before commencing to work on a new row.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In association with potato harvesting machines having a diggingconveyor and a picking conveyor, a. retainer shield comprising, incombination, a blade, a pivot bolt, and a spring, said blade beingconnected to the side of one of said conveyors by said pivot bolt, andsaid spring maintaining said blade against the corresponding side of theremaining of said conveyors.

2. In association with an articulated potato harvesting machine having adigging conveyor and a pic ng convey a retainer shield comprising, incombination, a blade, a pivot, bolt, a spring, and a stop, said bladebeing connected by said pivot bolt to one side of said digging conveyorand rotatable thereon between the limits of said picking conveyor andsaid stop under the control of said spring.

3. In association with an articulated potato harvesting machine having adigging conveyor and a, picking conveyor communicating therewith, aretainer shield adjacent the junction of said conveyors, said shieldcomprising, in combination, a vertically extending blade arcuated at thelower end thereof, a pivot bolt, a tension spring and a stop bracket, anarm formed at one end of the essentially flat upper portion of saidblade, said arm having an aperture formed near the outer end thereof,said pivot bolt extending through said aperture and connecting saidblade to one side of said digging conveyor, the arcuateend of said bladenormally being adjacent, to the corresponding side of said pickingconveyor, said bracket being secured to said digging conveyor, saidspring connecting said bracket with said blade, and said blade beingretractible against said bracket under the control of said spring,

JOSEPH LESZKOW'ICZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 453,130 Ritscher May 26, 18911,090,012 Bauerle Mar. 10, 1914 1,090,418 Schneider Mar. 17, 1914

